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Feb
2008
Cultural Weddings - Greek Wedding Traditions
By camille | Register for our wedding planning newsletter
A Greek wedding is an event that you will always remember. The ceremony is filled with symbolism and ancient traditions and the reception is an exciting party that goes well into the night. Imagine the scene of a full dance floor of upbeat dancing, not letting up for a second.
The Greek Orthodox wedding ceremony is an ancient service that has been celebrated in its current form for centuries. The ceremony is full of symbolism to reflect the elements of a successful marriage – love, mutual respect, equality and sacrifice.
The wedding ceremony itself consists of two parts which are distinct and separate from each other: The Service of Betrothal and the Ceremony of the Sacrament of Marriage. Each thing in the ceremony has special meaning and significance, particularly the repetition of each act three times – symbolizing the Holy Trinity: God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
The wedding begins as white candles are handed to the bride and groom symbolizing the couples willingness to receive Christ.
Service of Betrothal
The exchanging of rings is the focus of the Service of Betrothal. The priest blesses the rings by holding them in his right hand and making the sign of the cross over the heads of the bride and groom. The rings are then placed on the third fingers of their right hands. The Koumbaro , swaps the rings over between the bride and groom’s fingers, three times.
In the Greek Orthodox religion, the best man is replaced by a Koumbaros, who must be a member in good standing of the church, and has extended duties during the ceremony.
Ceremony of the Sacrament of Marriage
The Ceremony of the Sacrament of Marriage consists of several parts – petitions, prayers, the crowning, readings from the New Testament, the offering of the common cup, the circling of the ceremonial table and the benediction. At the conclusion of the prayers, the priest joins the right hands of the bride and groom. Their hands remain joined until the end of the wedding ceremony, which symbolizes the couple’s union.
The Crowning
The crowning is the focal point of the marriage ceremony. The bride and groom are crowned with thin crowns, called stefana, which are joined by a white ribbon and have been blessed by the priest. The crowns symbolize the glory and honor that is being bestowed on them by God, and the ribbon symbolizes their unity. The Koumbaro then exchanges the crowns between the heads of the couple, three times.
The Common Cup
The crowning is followed by a reading of the Gospel, which tells of the marriage of Cana at Galilee. It was at this wedding that Jesus performed his first miracle, changing water into wine, which was then given to the married couple. Wine is given to the couple and they each drink from it three times.
The Ceremonial Walk
The priest the leads the bride and groom in a circle around the alter three on their first steps as a married couple. Tthe church, in the person of the priest, leads them in the way they must walk. The way is symbolized by the circleat the center of which are the Gospel and the symbolic cross of the Lord. The Koumbaro follows close behind the couple holding the stefana in place.
The Removal of the Crowns
When the Ceremonial Walk has ended, the priest blesses the couple, the crowns are removed and he then separates their previously joined hands with the bible, reminding them that only God can break the union which they have just entered into.
Dancing in the Moonlight
There is perhaps no more memorable element of a Greek wedding celebration than the dancing. It begins with the kalamatiano, a traditional handkerchief dance. The bride and groom dance together, connected only by the scarf or handkerchief that each holds by an end. Eventually, they invite others to join in the dancing, which can go on for hours.
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Topics: Wedding Traditions |
February 28th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
hey!
didnt know at all about greek wedding traditions before reading this…nice blog!